RWS: a Picture a Day - 2008

Backyard Bokeh

Church in Vieux Bourg, St. Prex, Switzerland

The internet, it is an amazing thing. I am blogging to you today from what is 1/3 of the way around the globe from my home state of Arizona. Seriously weird.

Anyway, Fud and I took a walk through the Old Town (vieux bourg) of the small village where she lives in Switzerland. It is more than a little charming down there. I took 63 pictures which Fud seemed to feel was Not Enough. I’m sure I will more than make up for it once the jet lag has completely worn off. It is also my goal that by the end of my week here, Kelley will understand how to run the basics of my camera. Because the teacher in me will not die, even on vacation!
According to some random website found via google, St. Prex was built along the lakefront of Lake Geneva in 1234 by the Archbishop of Lausanne. Seems he wanted to protect the population from Savoyard attacks. I have no idea who the Savoyard are or why they would attack, but build a city to protect from them seems to have happened all the same. So basically, St. Prex was the location of warning to the church in Lusanne. the villagers within the city walls would build a fire to let the smoke signal to the church in Lusanne that an attack was on the way.

What i want to know is how did they build this fire to mean “attack” and not “we’re grilling up a nice side of mutton, come join us. BYOB.”

No matter what, it’s a wonderfully beautiful little town.

edited on Fud’s laptop with PSE 6, so don’t be hatin’ if it looks funky.
shot taken at night using a post holding up a tree as a “tripod”.

Desert Bokeh

Note: I changed my “save for web” action and something in it must have altered my “create a fancy border” action and so now I have a the SUPAH-fancy border….. ha! Will fix it, sorry the image is huge!
Note2: The desert this year is FABULOUS. I love it when we have so much rain - every catcus around here is covered in an insane amount of flowers. These are nothing to write home about because we always have these every year…. but at some point really soon here I’m going to get a good shot of a saguaro flower for you all…. I just need to find a ladder….

“I believe in the photographer’s magic — the ability to stir the soul with light and shape and colour. To create grand visual moments out of small and simple things, and to infuse big and complicated subjects with unpretentious elegance.” -Amyn Nasser

Note: Weeds in my backyard bathed in overcast evening light.

16-35mm lens @ 35mm | 1/800 @ f/2.8 | ISO 400
pp: defog, resize and sharpen for web

ZEBRAS!

Note: We went to the zoo. What is it about Zebras that makes me so appealing? And giraffes…. something about the ears, I think. How they are all sticky-outy on the sides, maybe? Rhinos, though, can never be cute. Because they smell too horribly awful. And smelly is NEVER cute.

28-200mm lens @ 200mm | 1/320 @ f/5.6 | ISO 200
pp: defog, erin’s color action, resize and sharpen for web

View From the Backyard

Lazy=No Info For You

Spring Has Sprung

Note: I know, this is really mean to those of you who experiences snow storms and icy sheets and blizzards and whatnot this weekend. Early spring is the price we pay for 3 months of NEVER ENDING BURNING in the middle of the summer.

16-35mm lens @ 35mm | 1/320 @ f/9.0 | ISO 100
pp: Lab color, resize and sharpen for web

Rusty

16-35mm lens @ 35mm | 1/1000 @ f/7.1 | ISO 200
pp: resized and sharpened for web

Whomping Willow?

Note: We took a hike up South Mountain today. It was such a gorgeous day. The kids played under the branches for quite some time. All I could think of is all of those kids books where kids play in trees. The Boxcar Children. Chronicles of Narnia. Where the Red Fern Grows.
Note2: Can you think of any others? who else lives and plays under a tree? INTERNET PARTICIPATION! YAY!
Note3: Love it when it rains in the desert because we get this GREEN STUFF. I hear it’s called “grass”?

85mm lens | 1/320 @ f/6.3 | ISO 400
pp: LAB color, crisp color boost, defog, vignette, sharpen and resize for web

Spiky! Ouchy!

Note: Too lazy to look up settings. Sorry. Next picture, I will be much more helpy.